Bitcoin’s prolonged sell-side pressure from long-term holders may be approaching its limits after years of steady distribution, according to a new report from research and brokerage firm K33.

The firm argues that a large portion of early holders has already taken profits, potentially setting the stage for a shift in market dynamics.

1.6M BTC From Long-Term Holders Has Re-Entered Circulation Since 2024

In a recent note, K33 head of research Vetle Lunde said Bitcoin supply held in unspent transaction outputs (UTXOs) older than two years has been declining consistently since 2024.

Over that period, roughly 1.6 million BTC, worth about $138 billion at current prices, has re-entered circulation, signaling sustained onchain selling from early investors.

Lunde said the scale of this decline suggests intentional distribution rather than routine technical activity.

While some reactivations can be explained by factors such as Grayscale’s Bitcoin Trust converting into an ETF, wallet consolidation, or security upgrades, he argued those factors alone cannot account for the magnitude of supply that has moved.

“The numbers point to meaningful selling,” Lunde wrote, rather than passive reshuffling of coins.

According to K33, 2024 and 2025 rank as the second- and third-largest years on record for long-term supply reactivation, exceeded only by 2017.

Unlike that earlier cycle, which was driven by ICO participation and altcoin speculation, the current wave appears to be fueled by direct selling into deeper institutional liquidity.

Lunde pointed to the growth of U.S. spot Bitcoin ETFs and increased corporate treasury demand as key enablers of this shift.

The report cited several large transactions as evidence, including an 80,000 BTC over-the-counter sale facilitated by Galaxy in July, a whale swapping 24,000 BTC for ether in August, and another selling roughly 11,000 BTC between October and November.

K33 said similar activity has been widespread among large holders and is likely a major factor behind Bitcoin’s relative underperformance in 2025.

In total, K33 estimates that about $300 billion worth of Bitcoin aged one year or more has been revived this year alone.

Lunde said the availability of institutional liquidity has allowed long-term holders to exit positions at six-digit prices, reducing ownership concentration and establishing new cost bases across the market.

K33 Expects Bitcoin Sell-Side Pressure to Ease as Long-Term Supply Stabilizes

Looking ahead, K33 expects sell-side pressure to ease. “With 20% of BTC’s supply reactivated over the past two years, we expect onchain sell-side pressure to approach saturation,” Lunde said.

He expects the two-year supply metric to stabilize and end 2026 above its current level of around 12.16 million BTC.

The firm also flagged potential portfolio rebalancing effects as the quarter turns. Bitcoin has historically tended to move opposite the prior quarter early in a new one, Lunde noted.

After underperforming other asset classes in Q4, Bitcoin could see renewed inflows in late December and early January as managers rebalance fixed allocations.

As reported, Bitwise Chief Investment Officer Matt Hougan and Grayscale Research both project BTC will exceed its previous peak despite conventional wisdom suggesting 2026 should be a pullback year.

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Bitcoin’s Lightning Network has climbed to a new all-time high in capacity, signaling renewed momentum for the layer-2 payments network after a long period of stagnation.

Data from Bitcoin Visuals shows that Lightning capacity reached 5,606 BTC on Monday, surpassing its previous record set in March 2023.

Separate figures from Lightning analytics platform Amboss put the peak slightly higher, at 5,637 BTC, worth roughly $490 million at current prices.

Lightning Network Capacity Rebounds, but User Growth Lags

The increase follows a noticeable rebound in November and December, after capacity trended lower for much of the past year.

The data suggests that more Bitcoin is being committed to Lightning payment channels, allowing for faster and cheaper transactions compared with on-chain transfers.

However, the growth in capacity has not been matched by a similar rise in network participation.

As of this week, the number of Lightning nodes stood at around 14,940, down from a peak of more than 20,700 in early 2022.

The number of channels connecting those nodes has also declined to about 48,678, well below its previous high.

This gap points to a network that is becoming more capitalized, but not necessarily more widely used by individual operators.

According to Amboss, the recent capacity jump is being driven less by grassroots growth and more by institutional players.

“It’s not just one company that’s putting more Bitcoin into the Lightning Network; it’s across the board,” the firm said, noting that major crypto exchanges such as Binance and OKX have added significant amounts of BTC to Lightning channels in recent weeks.

Broader developments in the Bitcoin ecosystem may also be supporting renewed interest in Lightning.

Stablecoin issuer Tether announced this week that it led an $8 millionfunding round in Lightning-focused startup Speed, which aims to enable stablecoin payments over the network.

While stablecoins largely operate on other blockchains today, some developers see Lightning as a potential settlement layer.

Lightning Labs Upgrades Taproot Assets to Enable Stablecoins on Bitcoin

At the protocol level, Lightning Labs said it has rolled out version 0.7 of Taproot Assets, an upgrade that introduces reusable addresses, auditable asset supplies and more reliable large transactions.

Taproot Assets allows assets such as stablecoins to be issued on Bitcoin and transferred over Lightning, combining Bitcoin’s base-layer security with near-instant settlement.

“With this release, we are laying the foundation for trillions of dollars to flow on Bitcoin and Lightning,” Lightning Labs said, pointing to a longer-term vision of Bitcoin evolving into a multi-asset network.

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US Senator Elizabeth Warren is seeking answers from federal law enforcement and financial authorities over whether decentralized cryptocurrency exchanges are under active investigation.

In a letter sent Monday to Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent and US Attorney General Pam Bondi, the Massachusetts Democrat asked whether their departments were “investigating significant national security risks posed by decentralized cryptocurrency exchanges like PancakeSwap.”

Warren requested a response by Jan. 12, framing the inquiry as part of broader congressional debates over crypto regulation.

Warren Warns DeFi Could Be Exploited for Illicit Finance Without Oversight

Warren said the public deserves clarity as Congress weighs crypto market structure legislation, including measures aimed at preventing illicit finance.

She pointed to concerns raised by national security experts and the crypto industry itself, warning that decentralized finance could be exploited by terrorists, criminals and sanctioned states if left unchecked.

The senator also questioned whether political considerations were influencing how crypto-related cases are enforced, citing what she described as selective action under the Trump administration.

Her letter referenced reports linking crypto activity to North Korea’s money laundering efforts and flagged claims that enforcement priorities may not be applied evenly across the sector.

Warren’s intervention comes as legislative momentum around crypto regulation slows in Washington.

Lawmakers had expected the Senate Banking Committee to advance the Responsible Financial Innovation Act, a key digital asset market structure bill, before the end of the year.

However, committee chair Tim Scott confirmed Monday that a markup hearing on the legislation has been delayed until 2026.

The letter also highlighted reports alleging that PancakeSwap had been promoting tokens tied to World Liberty Financial, a crypto company linked to the Trump family.

Warren said such activity raised questions about conflicts of interest and the president’s potential influence over crypto policy, concerns echoed by other Senate Democrats.

The renewed focus on Warren’s crypto stance comes as political dynamics shift ahead of the next election cycle.

John Deaton, a lawyer known for representing XRP holders in legal battles with regulators, announced in November that he will run as a Republican for the US Senate in 2026.

Deaton previously challenged Warren in the 2024 election and has emerged as a vocal critic of her approach to digital asset regulation.

Warren, Reed Urge DOJ and Treasury to Probe Trump-Linked Crypto Firm

Last month, Warren and Jack Reed also called on the DOJ and the US Treasury to investigate World Liberty Financial, a crypto company linked to the Trump family, over alleged connections to illicit actors in North Korea and Russia.

The senators cited a September 2025 report from watchdog group Accountable.US, which claimed the firm sold tokens to buyers with ties to money laundering platforms, an Iranian crypto exchange and North Korean hackers.

World Liberty Financial has denied any wrongdoing or conflicts of interest in response to the allegations.

World Liberty Financial lists President Donald Trump as a “co-founder emeritus,” with his sons Donald Jr. and Eric serving as Web3 ambassadors and Barron Trump as a DeFi visionary.

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Crypto exchanges and platforms are accelerating their push into prediction markets, with Gemini and PancakeSwap emerging as the latest players to roll out new offerings.

Gemini, the cryptocurrency exchange founded by Tyler and Cameron Winklevoss, announced Monday that it has launched its in-house prediction platform, Gemini Predictions, across all 50 US states.

The product is offered through Gemini Titan, an affiliate that recently secured a designated contract market license from the Commodity Futures Trading Commission (CFTC), clearing the way for regulated prediction markets in the country.

Gemini Launches Regulated Prediction Markets in US

Gemini’s new platform allows users to trade on the outcomes of real-world events with near-instant execution and transparent settlement, according to the company.

The launch follows Gemini Titan’s regulatory approval last week, marking one of the most notable US expansions of prediction markets by a major crypto exchange.

The move fits into Gemini’s broader strategy of building an “everything app” for digital assets. Alongside spot trading, the exchange has expanded into staking, rewards, tokenized stocks and now prediction markets, mirroring a wider industry trend toward all-in-one platforms.

Rivals such as Coinbase and Crypto.com have also been exploring similar expansions as competition intensifies.

Prediction markets are not limited to centralized exchanges. Decentralized platforms are moving quickly as well.

PancakeSwap on Tuesday unveiled Probable, a new prediction market incubated by the decentralized exchange and backed by YZi Labs, the venture firm founded by Binance co-founder Changpeng “CZ” Zhao.

Probable is set to launch exclusively on BNB Chain and will initially charge no fees.

According to PancakeSwap, the platform will automatically convert deposited tokens into USDT on BNB Chain, eliminating the need for users to manually swap or bridge assets. Event outcomes and settlement will be verified using UMA’s Optimistic Oracle.

While PancakeSwap is supporting the project’s early development, Probable will operate as an independent platform. A launch date has not yet been announced.

Prediction Markets Gain Traction as Volumes Hit Billions

The rapid expansion reflects growing demand for prediction markets, which gained momentum this year as platforms such as Kalshi and Polymarket posted billions of dollars in monthly trading volumes beginning in October.

The trend has attracted attention from both crypto-native firms and traditional financial players, including Robinhood and MetaMask.

As reported, Kalshi has secured a major media breakthrough after signing a partnership with CNN, making the company the network’s official prediction markets partner while closing a $1 billion funding round at an $11 billion valuation.

Under the agreement, Kalshi’s real-time market data will be used inside CNN’s newsroom to support reporting on politics, economics, and major cultural events.

Meanwhile, Mike Novogratz’s Galaxy Digital is in talks with Polymarket and Kalshi about becoming a liquidity provider, as on-chain betting on real-world events draws more attention from both retail traders and Wall Street.compliance remain unresolved.

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The Marshall Islands has launched a nationwide universal basic income (UBI) program that allows citizens to receive payments via cryptocurrency.

Under the initiative, every resident citizen is entitled to quarterly payments of roughly $200, or about $800 annually, as the government seeks to offset rising living costs and slow outward migration, according to a report from The Guardian.

The first payments were distributed in late November, with recipients given the option to receive funds through bank deposits, paper checks, or a government-backed digital wallet that delivers payments on the blockchain.

Marshall Islands Says UBI Aims to Boost Inclusion, Not Replace Work

Finance Minister David Paul said the scheme was designed to ensure broad inclusion rather than replace employment income.

“We the government want to make sure no one is left behind,” Paul told the Guardian, adding that the payments are intended to act as a social safety net and a morale boost rather than a substitute for work.

The Marshall Islands, a Pacific nation of around 42,000 people located between Hawaii and Australia, faces unique economic and geographic challenges.

Many communities are spread across remote atolls, complicating the delivery of public services and financial assistance. Officials say the cryptocurrency option was introduced to help overcome those logistical barriers.

The program is funded through a trust established under a long-standing agreement with the United States, partly aimed at compensating the Marshall Islands for decades of US nuclear testing.

The fund holds more than $1.3 billion in assets, with Washington committed to contributing an additional $500 million through 2027.

Dr. Huy Pham, an associate professor and crypto-fintech lead at RMIT University, said the initiative represents a global first.

“This is the world’s first national rollout of a UBI program,” he said, noting that the use of blockchain technology at a countrywide level is highly unusual.

The crypto payments are made using a US dollar-pegged stablecoin, a choice officials say provides price stability while allowing fast, traceable transfers across hundreds of islands.

Still, uptake of the digital option remains limited. According to the Marshall Islands Social Security Administration, about 60% of the first payments were made via bank deposits, with most of the remainder issued as checks.

Only around a dozen people have opted to receive their UBI through the digital wallet so far.

Sam Altman’s World Aspires to Create a Global UBI Mechanism

Sam Altman’s World, originally launched as Worldcoin, has also positioned its blockchain initiative as a path toward a global UBI mechanism.

The project’s core idea is to verify each person’s unique human identity using biometric scans. The “Orb” device creates a World ID that proves a user is real and not a bot, enabling fair distribution of its native token, WLD.

Verified users receive allocations of WLD, which some view as a form of UBI within the network, aimed at expanding financial inclusion and economic participation worldwide.

World also launched World Chain, an Ethereum layer-2 blockchain, last year. The network serves its 15 million verified users with a “World ID” obtained via iris scanning.

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Digital asset platform Exodus has partnered with crypto payments firm MoonPay to roll out a US dollar-backed stablecoin designed for everyday use.

The Exodus Movement, known for its self-custodial crypto wallet, said Tuesday that the fully reserved digital dollar is scheduled to launch in early 2026.

The asset will be issued and managed by MoonPay and built using M0, a stablecoin infrastructure platform that enables companies to create and operate custom fiat-backed tokens.

Exodus Pay to Bring Self-Custodial Digital Dollar Spending to Global Users

The yet-to-be-named stablecoin will be integrated into Exodus Pay, a forthcoming payments feature within the Exodus app.

The goal is to allow users to spend and send digital dollars globally while maintaining self-custody, without requiring technical knowledge of cryptocurrencies or blockchain networks.

“Stablecoins are quickly becoming the simplest way for people to hold and move dollars onchain, but the experience still needs to meet the expectations set by today’s consumer apps,” said JP Richardson, co-founder and CEO of Exodus.

He added that the project aims to make digital dollar payments as seamless as traditional financial apps, starting with Exodus Pay.

MoonPay will distribute the stablecoin across its global network, supporting buying, selling, swapping, deposits and checkout services.

According to the companies, this broad integration is intended to give the digital dollar immediate real-world utility for consumers, merchants and partner applications.

The collaboration comes as MoonPay expands its enterprise stablecoin business, launched in November, which focuses on issuing and managing compliant digital dollars across multiple blockchains.

Its integration with M0 allows stablecoins to be programmable and interoperable while remaining tailored to specific product use cases.

“Enterprises want stablecoins that are programmable, interoperable and tailored to a specific product experience,” said Luca Prosperi, co-founder and CEO of M0.

“Our infrastructure is built to support that flexibility at scale.”

GENIUS Act Sparks Renewed Stablecoin Push Across Banks and Crypto Firms

The announcement lands amid a renewed surge of interest in stablecoins following the passage of the GENIUS Act in July, which established a federal regulatory framework for fiat-backed stablecoins in the US.

Since then, banks and crypto firms alike have accelerated their efforts to launch proprietary digital dollars.

This year alone has seen the Trump family-linked World Liberty Financial introduce the USD1 stablecoin, Stripe roll out stablecoin-based accounts in more than 100 countries, and Tether announce plans for a regulatory-compliant token dubbed USAT.

Despite the influx of new entrants, the market remains heavily concentrated. Tether’s USDT dominates with roughly 60% market share and about $186 billion in circulation, while Circle’s USDC holds around 25% with a market capitalization of $78 billion.

Together, the two account for roughly 85% of the $310 billion global stablecoin market.

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Russia’s largest lender, Sberbank, is expanding its push into digital finance as it tests decentralized finance (DeFi) tools and rolls out investment products linked to cryptocurrencies.

Speaking at the “FI Day. AI & Blockchain” conference in Moscow, senior Sberbank executives outlined a strategy focused on digital financial assets, blockchain infrastructure, and regulated access to crypto-linked investments.

The bank is also working on integrating with public blockchains, a notable step for a systemically important institution in Russia’s tightly controlled financial system.

Sberbank in Talks With Russian Regulators on Regulated Crypto Access

Anatoly Popov, deputy chairman of Sberbank’s management board, said the lender is already in active dialogue with the Bank of Russia and Rosfinmonitoring on how crypto-related services could fit within a regulated framework.

The goal, he said, is to allow qualified investors to access digital assets using familiar banking infrastructure, while ensuring investor protection and financial stability.

Sberbank has already begun testing DeFi instruments and expects traditional banking and decentralized finance to converge over time.

Within current regulations, the bank offers structured bonds and digital financial assets (DFAs) whose returns are tied to cryptocurrencies such as Bitcoin and Ether, as well as baskets of multiple digital assets.

These products allow clients to gain exposure to crypto markets without holding tokens directly.

The bank has also issued digital asset funds tracking indices linked to Bitcoin and Ether, along with a broader crypto infrastructure portfolio that includes assets such as Solana, Tron, Avalanche, and BNB.

In addition, Sberbank has launched several structured bonds, both on exchanges and over the counter, with yields linked to Bitcoin and Ether indices.

The total volume of these crypto-linked instruments has reached about 1.5 billion rubles, which Popov described as a strong result for a nascent market.

While Sberbank does not view cryptocurrencies as a speculative investment for its own balance sheet, it has signaled readiness to act as a liquidity provider and market maker on regulated platforms once clear rules are in place.

The bank estimates that crypto adoption among Russians remains high, with the central bank projecting digital asset holdings in domestic wallets could reach hundreds of billions of rubles by early 2025.

Sberbank is Building its Own Blockchain

Alongside crypto-linked products, Sberbank is continuing to build its own blockchain platform for issuing and managing digital financial assets.

The platform, developed internally, supports smart contracts and tokenization tools for corporate clients and has already been used to issue digital assets linked to commodities and cryptocurrency indices.

Looking ahead, Sberbank sees stablecoins, tokenized assets, and greater interoperability between private and public blockchains as key trends.

Executives said the bank is particularly interested in public networks with mature smart contract ecosystems, such as Ethereum, though broader integration will depend on regulatory clarity.

In March, Sberbank launched a blockchain technology-powered token that tracks global cocoa prices.

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Solana has weathered one of the most powerful distributed denial-of-service (DDoS) attacks ever recorded without any visible impact on network performance.

The attack, which has been ongoing for more than a week, peaked at nearly 6 terabits per second (Tbps), ranking as the fourth-largest DDoS attack in internet history, according to data shared by SolanaFloor.

Despite the scale, network metrics show Solana continued to process transactions normally, with sub-second confirmations and stable slot latency throughout the period.

Solana Joins Google, Cloudflare and AWS in Record-Scale DDoS History

Charts accompanying the disclosure place the Solana incident alongside historic attacks targeting major centralized infrastructure providers, including Google Cloud, Cloudflare customers, Microsoft Azure, and AWS.

While those attacks ranged from 2.3 Tbps to as high as 46 Tbps, Solana’s appearance on the list marks a rare case of a public blockchain facing traffic volumes comparable to the largest assaults on traditional internet services.

Validators and core infrastructure absorbed the traffic without degraded performance, reinforcing claims that Solana’s architecture has matured significantly since earlier congestion episodes.

Meanwhile, the Sui network experienced a DDoS attack just a day earlier, which resulted in delayed block production and periods of reduced performance.

A DDoS attack is an attempt to overwhelm a network, website, or system with massive traffic so it can’t operate normally.

Attackers use large numbers of compromised devices (a botnet) to send junk requests at the same time, flooding the target with data.

The goal isn’t to steal information, but to slow the system down, cause outages, or make services unavailable.

DDoS attacks are not rare in crypto. Last year, the Cardano network experienced an attempted DDoS attack beginning at block 10,487,530.

Raul Antonio, chief technology officer of Fluid Tokens, explained that the attack tried to manipulate the blockchain into charging lower fees for high-value transactions.

Likewise, layer-2 blockchain Manta suffered a DDoS attack shortly after successfully listing its Manta token on multiple exchanges last year.

Solana Faces Liquidity Reset as Losses Mount

As reported, Solana is entering a period of stress as on-chain data points to shrinking liquidity and falling profitability.

Glassnode data shows the network’s 30-day realized profit-to-loss ratio has remained below 1 since mid-November, a level typically linked to bearish conditions, meaning traders are realizing losses more often than gains and market sentiment has weakened.

Analysts at Altcoin Vector describe the situation as a “full liquidity reset,” a phase that has historically marked the early stages of new liquidity cycles and, in some cases, market bottoms.

While near-term volatility remains high, analysts say conditions could begin to stabilize within weeks, potentially setting the stage for a recovery by early January if the pattern mirrors past cycles.

Meanwhile, amid growing demand for Solana funds, Web3 infrastructure provider Alchemy has rebuilt its Solana stack from the ground up, aiming to deliver near-zero downtime, faster transaction speeds, and higher scalability.

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The US Securities and Exchange Commission has sharply scaled back its enforcement actions against the cryptocurrency industry since President Donald Trump returned to office.

The agency has dismissed or paused close to 60% of crypto-related cases, according to a report published Sunday by The New York Times.

While enforcement activity continues across traditional markets, cases involving crypto firms have been disproportionately affected by withdrawals, pauses, or outright dismissals since January, the report said.

SEC Retreats From Ripple and Binance Cases

Among the most prominent cases cited were the SEC’s long-running lawsuits against Ripple Labs and Binance, both of which have seen significant pullbacks.

The Times also noted that the regulator is “no longer actively pursuing a single case against a firm with known Trump ties,” a detail that has intensified scrutiny of the agency’s motives.

The SEC pushed back on suggestions of political favoritism, telling the newspaper that its decisions were driven by legal and policy considerations rather than politics.

The report added that it found no evidence President Trump directly pressured the agency to abandon specific investigations.

Industry figures argue the enforcement retreat reflects a broader reassessment of the SEC’s earlier approach to crypto.

Alex Thorn, head of firmwide research at Galaxy Digital, said claims that the shift is linked to Trump’s personal interests overlook what he described as years of aggressive and inconsistent regulation.

Thorn said framing the pivot as politically motivated ignores “four years of direct attacks by the actual partisans.”

The backdrop to the enforcement slowdown includes a deepening connection between Trump-linked entities and the digital asset sector.

In 2025, projects associated with the president or his family expanded significantly, ranging from World Liberty Financial to Trump-branded crypto initiatives, including the Official Trump memecoin and American Bitcoin, a mining venture backed by the president’s sons.

Leadership Shift at SEC Looms as Final Democratic Commissioner Exits

At the same time, changes at the top of the SEC are set to further reshape the agency’s stance.

Paul Atkins, a Republican appointee seen as more receptive to market-driven regulation, is expected to remain chair for the foreseeable future. However, the commission is preparing to lose its final Democratic member.

Caroline Crenshaw, whose term officially expired in 2024, is expected to depart in January after serving an additional 18 months.

Trump has yet to announce nominees to fill her seat or another vacant Democratic position on the commission.

Crenshaw has been one of the most vocal critics of the SEC’s softer approach to crypto under the Trump administration.

In one of her final public appearances last week, she warned that easing oversight could expose markets to wider contagion risks, cautioning that reduced scrutiny may come at a cost to investor protection.

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Crypto wallet provider MetaMask has expanded its multichain push by adding native support for Bitcoin, marking a notable shift for a platform long associated with Ethereum-based networks.

The company announced the rollout on social media on Monday, nearly ten months after first hinting at the integration in February.

With the update, Bitcoin now joins Ethereum, Solana, Monad and Sei as supported assets within MetaMask, allowing users to hold and transact BTC directly from the wallet.

MetaMask Lets Users Buy, Swap and Send Bitcoin

MetaMask said users can now buy Bitcoin, swap other tokens into BTC, and send or receive the asset, with confirmed transactions appearing automatically in their asset list.

The company cautioned that Bitcoin transfers typically settle more slowly than transactions on EVM-compatible chains or Solana, reflecting the network’s design.

To encourage adoption, MetaMask is offering reward points for users who swap into Bitcoin through the wallet.

Until now, access to BTC on MetaMask was limited to wrapped versions of the asset, which rely on intermediaries and carry additional smart contract risk.

The Bitcoin integration was first discussed earlier this year, when MetaMask co-founder Dan Finlay suggested the feature could go live in the third quarter of 2025.

Its arrival underscores the company’s broader effort to reposition itself as a multichain wallet rather than an Ethereum-only tool.

MetaMask began that transition in May with support for Solana, followed by integrations with Sei in August and Monad in November. While details remain limited, the firm has signaled that further blockchain support is planned.

“Bitcoin support marks the latest step in our multichain expansion,” MetaMask said, adding that additional networks are expected to be added in 2026.

MetaMask to Integrate Polymarket

As reported, MetaMask has entered the prediction market space through a new integration with Polymarket, allowing users to trade on real-world event outcomes directly from their wallets.

The feature introduces one-tap funding, enabling deposits from any EVM-compatible chain, and rewards users with MetaMask points for each prediction placed.

The partnership creates a new on-ramp for Polymarket, which has seen rapid growth over the past year, particularly during the 2024 US election cycle.

A more favorable regulatory backdrop and renewed US market access have helped drive its expansion, with the platform now reportedly exploring a valuation of up to $15 billion following a strategic investment from Intercontinental Exchange, the parent company of the NYSE.

The wallet is also preparing for the rollout of a native MASK token, as parent company Consensys gears up for a potential IPO.

The move comes as Polymarket is recruiting staff for an internal market-making team that would trade against its own customers, mirroring a controversial feature already used by rival Kalshi that has drawn criticism and legal challenges.

The New York-based prediction market startup has reportedly approached traders, including sports bettors, to join the new unit, people familiar with the matter said, requesting anonymity because the plans remain private.

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A Bitcoin investor lost his retirement savings after falling victim to a so-called “pig butchering” scam, despite repeated warnings from his advisory firm, according to a firsthand account shared by a Bitcoin wealth adviser.

Terence Michael, an author and adviser affiliated with The Bitcoin Adviser, said an unnamed client transferred his Bitcoin holdings to a scammer after being approached online by a woman posing as a trader.

The woman promised to double his Bitcoin and gradually built what appeared to be a romantic relationship, a hallmark tactic of pig butchering scams.

Bitcoin Adviser Says Client Ignored Warnings, Lost Funds to Scam

In a post shared on X, Michael said he made “numerous phone calls” and sent a “string of text messages” in an effort to stop the transfer.

The warnings went unheeded. While Michael was out to dinner, he received a message from the client confirming that the funds were gone.

“My client was falling for a pig butchering scam,” Michael wrote. “And as of last night … I received a devastating text message from him saying he had lost it all.”

Unlike traditional cyberattacks that rely on malware or direct wallet compromises, pig butchering scams depend on emotional manipulation.

Victims are convinced to willingly send their assets, often after being groomed through days or weeks of conversation that blend investment advice with personal and romantic claims.

Michael said the client, who had recently divorced, went beyond sending Bitcoin. He also purchased a plane ticket for the scammer, expecting to meet her in person.

After the transfer was completed, the attacker reportedly admitted that the photos used throughout the relationship were fake and generated using artificial intelligence tools.

The case highlights the growing scale of pig butchering scams across the crypto industry. In 2024 alone, these schemes drained an estimated $5.5 billion from victims across roughly 200,000 reported cases, according to industry data.

In June, the US Department of Justice announced the seizure of more than $225 million in cryptocurrency tied to pig butchering operations, underscoring the growing enforcement response to one of crypto’s most damaging fraud trends.

AI-Driven Crypto Scams Hit $4.6B as Deepfakes Fuel New Fraud Wave

As reported, the rapid adoption of artificial intelligence is driving a new generation of crypto scams, pushing global losses to $4.6 billion in 2024, according to a 2025 Anti-Scam Research Report released on June 10.

The study, co-authored by Bitget, SlowMist, and Elliptic, found that scammers are increasingly using AI-generated deepfakes, fake video calls, and Trojan-infected job offers to deceive victims, with at least 87 AI-powered scam rings dismantled in the first quarter of 2025 alone.

The report warns that deepfake impersonations, social engineering, and Ponzi schemes disguised as DeFi or NFT projects now dominate the threat landscape.

Criminal groups are also using cross-chain bridges and obfuscation tools to launder stolen funds, complicating recovery efforts.

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Bitcoin bull Michael Saylor’s Strategy has doubled down on its long-standing conviction, announcing another massive Bitcoin buy worth nearly $1 billion.

In a Form 8-K filing dated December 15, Strategy disclosed that it acquired 10,645 BTC between December 8 and December 14, spending $980.3 million at an average price of $92,098 per coin.

The purchase was funded through proceeds raised under the firm’s at-the-market (ATM) equity and preferred stock offerings, including sales of common shares and multiple preferred stock classes.

Strategy Becomes World’s Largest Corporate Bitcoin Holder With 671,268 BTC

Following the latest acquisition, Strategy’s total Bitcoin holdings climbed to 671,268 BTC, with an aggregate purchase cost of $50.33 billion and an average price of $74,972 per Bitcoin.

The move further cements the company’s position as the largest corporate holder of Bitcoin globally, far ahead of other public firms.

Last week, Strategy also purchased 10,624 BTC for roughly $962.7 million, paying an average price of $90,615 per coin.

The new purchases come as Strategy has built a $1.44 billion reserve to cover dividend and debt interest payments in cash, avoiding the need to sell any of its extensive Bitcoin holdings during periods of high market volatility.

CEO Phong Le has said the company’s newly built cash reserve is designed to quiet investor anxiety over its ability to withstand a sharp downturn in Bitcoin.

Le said the move followed weeks of speculation about whether the firm could continue meeting its dividend and debt commitments if market conditions worsened.

“We’re very much a part of the crypto ecosystem and Bitcoin ecosystem,” Le said. “Which is why we decided a couple of weeks ago to start raising capital and putting US dollars on our balance sheet to get rid of this FUD.”

The reserve, funded via a stock sale, is intended to secure at least 12 months of dividend payments, with plans to stretch that buffer to 24 months.

Concerns over Strategy’s dividend stability had grown louder in recent weeks as Bitcoin retreated from its highs.

Bitcoin Drops Under $90,000 as Investors Turn Defensive

Bitcoin slipped below the $90,000 mark this week, reinforcing a cautious short-term outlook as investors pull back from risk assets, according to Lin Tran, senior market analyst at XS.com.

In a note shared with Cryptonews, Tran said Bitcoin continues to trade in line with broader risk sentiment, remaining closely tied to US technology stocks and shifting expectations around monetary policy.

The analyst noted that Bitcoin’s rejection near $100,000 and its struggle to hold above the psychological $90,000 level point to growing risk aversion, particularly as markets head into year-end.

Investors appear focused on protecting gains after the strong rally earlier in the cycle.

Tran highlighted US Federal Reserve policy as the key macro driver.

While interest rates have been cut, the Fed’s cautious guidance and still-elevated real rates have limited the return of global liquidity, capping Bitcoin’s upside.

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Doha Bank has completed its first digitally native US dollar bond, issuing $150 million in floating-rate notes that settled instantly using distributed ledger technology.

The notes were listed on the London Stock Exchange’s International Securities Market and achieved same-day, or T+0, settlement through Euroclear’s Digital Financial Market Infrastructure (D-FMI), according to a Monday announcement.

The transaction marks one of Qatar’s earliest digitally native US dollar bond issuances and reflects a growing push across the Gulf region to modernize capital markets infrastructure.

Standard Chartered Leads Doha Bank’s Digital Bond Issuance

Standard Chartered acted as sole global coordinator and sole arranger, overseeing the structuring, execution, and distribution of the bond.

Unlike traditional securities, which typically settle one or two days after trading, Doha Bank’s digital notes were issued, allocated, and settled in real time.

Euroclear’s D-FMI platform, a permissioned distributed ledger operated by a central securities depository, handled issuance and settlement while remaining fully integrated with existing market standards and post-trade systems. Citi served as issuing and paying agent on the transaction.

Doha Bank said the issuance supports its broader funding strategy by diversifying sources of capital and expanding its investor base.

Sheikh Abdulrahman Bin Fahad Al-Thani, the bank’s group chief executive, said the transaction demonstrates how digital infrastructure can improve efficiency and market access while reinforcing Qatar’s position as a regional financial hub.

He added that the deal aligns with Qatar Central Bank initiatives aimed at strengthening the resilience and competitiveness of the country’s capital markets.

Standard Chartered said the bond highlights rising institutional demand for digital issuance that delivers measurable operational gains.

Salman Ansari, the bank’s global head of capital markets, said the deal shows how regulated digital infrastructure is moving beyond pilot projects and into live market activity.

The issuance also reflects a broader industry trend favoring permissioned distributed ledger systems over public blockchains for tokenized debt.

Regulated platforms such as Euroclear’s D-FMI allow issuers to benefit from features like instant settlement and automated recordkeeping while preserving legal finality, controlled access, and compatibility with custody and clearing frameworks used by institutional investors.

Same-Day Settlement Works Within Existing Market Structures

Euroclear said the transaction demonstrates that same-day settlement can be achieved without disrupting existing market structures.

“Equally important, integration with traditional secondary-market services and trading venues ensures that investors retain access to liquidity,” Sebastien Danloy, Chief Business Officer at Euroclear, said.

As reported, Mastercard is in late-stage talks to acquire crypto infrastructure firm Zerohash for between $1.5 billion and $2 billion, a deal that would deepen the payments giant’s push into stablecoins and on-chain settlement.

If completed, the acquisition would give Mastercard greater control over how fiat and digital assets settle across its network as payments firms move toward always-on, 24/7 money.

The talks come amid intensifying competition, with Stripe’s recent purchase of stablecoin firm Bridge and Coinbase’s reported interest in BVNK highlighting a broader race among payment providers to secure the infrastructure needed as stablecoins shift from trading platforms into everyday payments.

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Binance has pushed back against claims that it failed to act swiftly in freezing funds linked to last month’s Upbit hack, rejecting reports that it only partially complied with requests from South Korean authorities.

In a statement shared with Cryptonews, a Binance spokesperson said suggestions of a delayed or limited response were inaccurate.

“Binance’s security and investigations teams identified the incident and immediately took action to assist in freezing related transfers and mitigating further movements,” the spokesperson said.

Binance Says It Acted Promptly and Worked With Law Enforcement

The exchange added that it has been working closely with law enforcement and other relevant parties since the incident.

“We continue to monitor the situation closely and provide support as needed,” the spokesperson said, stressing that any claims suggesting Binance did not take prompt or effective action are “unsubstantiated and inaccurate.”

The response follows a report published last week citing South Korean investigators, who claimed Binance froze only a small portion of the funds stolen during the Upbit breach.

According to local media, authorities said roughly 17% of the assets flagged for freezing were ultimately locked down.

Investigators allege that the hackers behind the attack moved quickly, dispersing stolen funds across more than a thousand wallets within hours of the breach on Nov. 27.

Security analysts said the group used a combination of chain hopping, token swaps, and bridges to obscure transaction trails, a tactic that complicated recovery efforts.

Authorities said that a significant share of the laundered assets eventually reached service wallets on Binance.

Upbit and police reportedly requested an immediate freeze on around 470 million won (approximately $370,000) worth of Solana tokens believed to have entered the exchange.

Of that amount, about 80 million won (roughly $75,000) was frozen, with Binance citing the need for additional verification before taking broader action, per previous claims by Korean authorities.

Upbit Moves 99% of Customer Assets to Cold Storage After $30M Hack

As reported, Upbit is shifting nearly all customer assets into cold storage after hackers stole 44.5 billion won (about $30 million) from its Solana hot wallet, marking one of the strongest security responses yet by a major exchange.

Operator Dunamu said the platform will raise its cold wallet ratio to 99% and reduce hot wallet exposure to effectively zero, far above South Korea’s legal requirement that 80% of user funds be stored offline.

The exchange already held 98.33% of assets in cold storage at the end of October, the highest among domestic platforms, but accelerated its overhaul following the breach.

Meanwhile, South Korean authorities have launched an investigation, and local reports have cited early intelligence assessments that allegedly connect the intrusion to North Korea’s Lazarus Group.

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Curve Finance founder Michael Egorov has put forward a proposal seeking approval for a 17.45 million CRV token grant aimed at supporting the long-term development of the Curve ecosystem.

At current market prices, the grant is valued at roughly $6.6 million and would be allocated to Swiss Stake AG, the core development company behind Curve.

Curve Founder Seeks Fresh Grant to Fund Development and Security

The proposal, published on the Curve DAO governance forum on Sunday, follows a similar grant approved in late 2024.

Egorov said the funding is intended to cover research, software development, infrastructure, and security work for Curve’s lending protocol, while also sustaining the firm’s contributor base.

“This grant will fund software research and development, infrastructure, security, and ecosystem support, ensuring that the 25-member team at Swiss Stake AG can continue its ongoing contributions to Curve,” Egorov wrote in the proposal.

According to the document, Swiss Stake AG has outlined a broad roadmap for 2026. Planned initiatives include launching and scaling a new version of Curve’s lending product, Llamalend, developing an onchain foreign exchange swap system, and improving the protocol’s user interface.

The proposal also references ongoing work around integrations, crosschain functionality, and governance tooling.

Egorov added that any intellectual property produced using the grant would be released under an open-source license compatible with Curve’s existing software repositories, aligning with the protocol’s open development model.

If the proposal is approved, Swiss Stake AG would be allowed to stake a portion of the CRV received to generate additional yield, though only within the boundaries set out in the proposal.

The firm also committed to publishing biannual reports detailing how the grant funds are spent.

The proposal highlights Swiss Stake AG’s ongoing push toward financial self-sufficiency.

While the firm has developed several revenue streams, including Curve Lite deployments on other networks and fees earned through staking veCRV via protocols such as Convex, StakeDAO, and Yearn, Egorov said these revenues remain insufficient to fully sustain operations.

“All such revenues have been used strictly in line with the purposes outlined in the grant,” Egorov said, adding that the company is still reliant on community support at its current stage.

Vitalik Buterin Says DeFi Is Ready to Compete With Banks

As reported, Ethereum co-founder Vitalik Buterin says decentralized finance has reached a stage where on-chain savings are no longer experimental and are beginning to rival traditional banking.

Speaking at a Dromos Labs event, Buterin said he is encouraged by DeFi’s progress in security, usability, and maturity, adding that more users and institutions could soon treat DeFi as a primary banking alternative.

Buterin argued the sector has shifted away from its early reputation for risky yield farming and frequent exploits.

While acknowledging recent incidents such as the Balancer hack, he said the gap between today’s DeFi ecosystem and the early 2020 era is “night and day,” citing stronger smart contract security and what he called the “walkaway test,” which ensures users can always independently recover their funds.

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Spanish police have arrested five people and charged four others in Denmark over the kidnapping and killing of a man who was targeted for his cryptocurrency holdings, authorities said Thursday.

The arrests follow a joint investigation that uncovered what police described as a cross-border criminal group focused on stealing digital assets through violent means.

Spanish and Danish authorities coordinated the operation, which involved multiple raids and the seizure of weapons and electronic devices.

Masked Gunmen Abduct Couple in Málaga Crypto Case

The case came to light in April, when a woman reported to police in Málaga that she and her partner had been abducted in the nearby town of Mijas.

According to investigators, the couple was ambushed by three or four masked men dressed in black and armed with handguns.

Police said the man was shot in the leg as he attempted to flee. Both victims were then forced into a vehicle and taken to a house, where they were held for several hours.

During the captivity, the attackers attempted to gain access to the couple’s cryptocurrency wallets.

The woman was released around midnight. Her partner did not survive. His body was later discovered in a wooded area, showing signs of violence in addition to the gunshot wound, authorities said.

As part of the investigation, police carried out six raids at properties in Madrid and Málaga. Officers seized two handguns, one real and one imitation, along with a baton, blood-stained clothing, mobile phones, and documents believed to be linked to the crime. Biological evidence connected to the scene was also recovered.

In Denmark, police charged four suspects in connection with the case. Two of them were already serving prison sentences for similar offenses, according to authorities.

The incident highlights a growing concern within the crypto industry: physical attacks aimed at forcing victims to surrender access to digital wallets.

Often referred to as “wrench attacks,” these crimes have drawn increased attention in recent months, prompting renewed calls for better personal security practices among crypto holders.

Violent ‘Wrench Attacks’ on Crypto Holders Surge

Violent attacks targeting cryptocurrency holders are on track to reach record levels in 2025, according to a report from blockchain analytics firm Chainalysis.

As of July, 35 so-called “wrench attacks” have already been recorded worldwide, putting the year on pace to surpass the previous peak seen during the 2021 bull market.

Chainalysis said crypto-related crime is increasingly shifting from online exploits to real-world violence. More than $2.17 billion has been stolen from crypto services so far this year, already exceeding the total for all of 2024, with nearly a quarter of losses now coming from personal wallet attacks.

Bitcoin holders are facing higher average losses, as criminals focus on large-value wallets, particularly in regions with growing retail adoption.

The Asia-Pacific region has emerged as one of the hardest hit, ranking second globally for Bitcoin stolen and third for Ether theft.

Countries including Japan, Indonesia, South Korea, and the Philippines have reported a rise in incidents, some with severe outcomes.

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Bitcoin’s struggle to regain upside momentum near the $90,000 level may be less about weak demand and more about how large, long-term holders are managing their exposure, according to market analyst Jeff Park.

He argues that widespread covered call selling by Bitcoin “whales” is quietly suppressing spot prices, even as institutional interest through exchange-traded funds remains strong.

Bitcoin OGs Turn to Covered Calls to Generate Yield on Long-Held BTC

Covered calls involve selling call options against Bitcoin already held, allowing sellers to collect premiums while giving buyers the right to purchase BTC at a predetermined price.

Park said this strategy is increasingly favored by long-term holders, often referred to as “OGs,” who accumulated Bitcoin years ago and now use options markets to generate short-term income.

The impact, however, extends beyond the options market. Market makers who buy these call options must hedge their exposure, typically by selling spot Bitcoin.

That hedging activity introduces persistent sell-side pressure, pushing prices lower or capping rallies.

“When you sell calls against Bitcoin you’ve held for more than a decade, the only fresh market exposure comes from the call selling itself,” Park said.

“That exposure is negative, making the seller a net source of downward pressure.”

Because the Bitcoin used to back these options already exists and does not represent new demand, the strategy fails to add fresh liquidity to the market.

Instead, it shifts price influence toward derivatives trading, where options flows increasingly dictate short-term price action.

Park said this dynamic helps explain why Bitcoin has remained choppy despite steady inflows into spot ETFs.

The trend has coincided with Bitcoin’s partial decoupling from US equities in the latter half of 2025. While major stock indices continued to hit record highs, Bitcoin retreated from earlier peaks and hovered near $90,000.

Some analysts had previously pointed to Bitcoin’s correlation with tech stocks, but recent price behavior suggests different forces are now at play.

Analysts Split on Bitcoin’s Next Move as Fed Rate Cuts Loom

Looking ahead, opinions remain divided. Several analysts expect Bitcoin to resume its rally once the US Federal Reserve continues its rate-cutting cycle, which would inject liquidity into financial markets and favor risk assets.

CME Group’s FedWatch tool shows that 24.4% of traders are pricing in another rate cut at the January FOMC meeting.

Others remain cautious. A growing camp warns that if covered call selling persists and macro conditions fail to improve, Bitcoin could revisit lower levels, with some projecting a drop toward $76,000.

Last week, Bitfinex said the market is showing “seller exhaustion” following a period of heavy deleveraging and panic-driven exits by short-term holders.

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Rodney Burton, a 56-year-old crypto promoter known online as “Bitcoin Rodney,” is facing expanded federal charges tied to his alleged role in promoting the $1.8 billion HyperFund cryptocurrency scheme.

According to a superseding indictment unsealed Friday by the US Attorney’s Office for the District of Maryland, prosecutors now accuse Burton of conspiracy to commit wire fraud, two counts of wire fraud, seven counts of money laundering, and one count of operating an unlicensed money transmitting business.

If convicted on all charges, Burton could face up to 20 years in prison for each wire fraud-related count, up to 10 years per money laundering count, and an additional five years for the unlicensed money transmission charge.

Expanded Indictment Deepens Case Against “Bitcoin Rodney”

The new indictment marks a sharp escalation from the original criminal complaint filed in January 2024, which charged Burton with just two counts related to unlicensed money transmission.

Those earlier charges carried a maximum sentence of five years each. Burton was arrested at Miami International Airport that month while allegedly attempting to leave the country on a one-way ticket to the United Arab Emirates.

A federal judge later denied his bail request, citing him as an “extreme flight risk,” and he has remained in custody since.

According to court filings, Burton and his alleged co-conspirators operated HyperFund, also known as HyperVerse, from June 2020 through May 2024.

The platform was marketed as a crypto investment opportunity promising daily returns ranging from 0.5% to 1% until investors doubled or tripled their money.

Prosecutors claim those returns were falsely attributed to large-scale cryptocurrency mining operations that did not exist.

By 2021, HyperFund allegedly began restricting and blocking investor withdrawals.

The indictment further alleges that Burton used investor funds to finance a lavish lifestyle, including the purchase of luxury condominiums, high-end sports cars, and a yacht. His trial is currently scheduled for March next year.

From Celebrity Events to Court Records: The Rise of “Bitcoin Rodney”

Burton rose to prominence within crypto circles through aggressive marketing and high-profile appearances.

He hosted a 2021 Miami event featuring “Shark Tank” investor Daymond John and musician Akon, and appeared publicly with celebrities such as Jamie Foxx and Rick Ross.

Court records also reference a prior conviction for conspiracy to distribute cocaine.

In recent court filings, Burton has maintained that he believed HyperFund was a legitimate business. He has placed blame on co-founder Xue Lee, also known as Sam Lee, alleging Lee orchestrated an elaborate deception that misled both investors and promoters.

Lee and fellow promoter Brenda “Bitcoin Beautee” Chunga were charged by the SEC in January 2024. Chunga has pleaded guilty, while Lee remains at large.

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Stablecoin adoption in Venezuela is expected to accelerate as the country’s economic pressures deepen and the bolívar continues to lose value, according to a new report from blockchain intelligence firm TRM Labs.

The findings point to growing reliance on digital assets for everyday financial activity, particularly as confidence in traditional banking systems erodes.

Economic Strain and Sanctions Push Venezuelans Toward Stablecoins

Venezuelans have spent nearly a decade navigating hyperinflation, sanctions-related constraints, and limited access to reliable financial services.

Against this backdrop, TRM Labs said demand for stablecoins is likely to increase further if macroeconomic instability persists, a risk amplified by ongoing geopolitical tensions between the United States and Venezuela.

The firm noted that stablecoins are increasingly being used not only as a store of value, but also as a medium of exchange for routine transactions.

Regulatory uncertainty is also playing a role. Questions surrounding the authority and enforcement capacity of Venezuela’s crypto regulator, SUNACRIP, combined with lingering distrust in domestic banks, have left many citizens turning to blockchain-based alternatives.

“Absent a material shift in Venezuela’s macroeconomic conditions or the emergence of cohesive regulatory oversight, the role of digital assets — particularly stablecoins — is poised to expand,” TRM Labs said.

Data from the Chainalysis 2025 Crypto Adoption Index places Venezuela 18th globally for crypto adoption. When adjusted for population size, however, the country ranks ninth, underscoring how deeply embedded crypto usage has become among ordinary users.

Peer-to-peer (P2P) transactions have emerged as a critical financial tool. TRM Labs found that more than 38% of crypto-related site visits from Venezuelan IP addresses were directed to a single global platform offering P2P trading services.

These platforms, along with USDT-to-fiat conversions, have filled gaps left by unreliable domestic banking channels, even as users report intermittent service disruptions.

Local platforms are also gaining traction, particularly those offering mobile wallets and bank integrations tailored to Venezuelan users.

According to TRM Labs, these services enable informal settlement rails that support daily commerce despite infrastructure challenges.

The report frames Venezuela’s crypto ecosystem as a response to necessity rather than speculation.

Stablecoins, especially USDT, now underpin payroll payments, remittances, vendor transactions, and cross-border purchases.

Western Union to Launch Dollar-Backed Stablecoin on Solana

Western Union is also entering the stablecoin market with plans to launch the US Dollar Payment Token (USDPT) on the Solana blockchain in the first half of 2026.

The token, issued by Anchorage Digital Bank, will allow users to move money globally with lower fees and faster settlement times, reducing reliance on traditional banking intermediaries and volatile currency conversions.

Likewise, Visa has unveiled a new pilot that enables direct payouts in Circle’s USDC stablecoin for creators, freelancers, and gig workers worldwide.

The initiative aims to make cross-border payments nearly instant while reducing dependence on traditional banking infrastructure.

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Tether has launched an all-cash bid to acquire Italy’s Juventus Football Club, an offer that was reportedly swiftly turned down.

The stablecoin issuer said Friday it had submitted a binding offer to Exor, the Agnelli family’s holding company, seeking to purchase its 65.4% controlling stake.

The Agnelli dynasty has controlled Juventus for more than a century, making the bid one of the most audacious takeover attempts in European football this year.

Juventus Shares Jump as Tether’s $1.1B Takeover Bid Is Rejected

Juventus, valued at roughly €944 million ($1.1 billion), saw its share price rise 2.3% Friday to €2.23 ($2.62).

Tether said that if Exor accepted the deal, it would immediately launch a public tender for all remaining shares at the same price.

However, according to AFP, Exor has already rejected the proposal, with a source close to the company stating simply: “Juventus is not for sale.”

Despite the rebuff, Tether is positioning itself as a long-term suitor. CEO Paolo Ardoino said the company was prepared to invest €1 billion ($1.1 billion) to strengthen the club if a deal were ever reached.

“Tether is in a position of strong financial health and intends to support Juventus with stable capital and a long horizon,” Ardoino said, adding that he grew up following the team.

“As a boy, I learned what commitment, resilience, and responsibility meant by watching Juventus face success and adversity with dignity.”

Tether, issuer of the $118 billion stablecoin USDT, has pushed aggressively into new sectors over the past year, pouring money into artificial intelligence, robotics and health-tech ventures.

Its move into football has been gradual. The company quietly bought a stake in Juventus in February and increased its holding to more than 10% in April.

It has also gained influence inside the club. In October, Tether nominated deputy investment chief Zachary Lyons and Francesco Garino to Juventus’s board, and shareholders approved Garino’s appointment last month.

Tether Could Become the World’s Most Profitable Company, Analyst Says

Tether appears unstoppable right now, with the world’s largest stablecoin issuer on track to generate approximately $15 billion this year.

Bitwise’s chief investment officer, Matt Houga, recently predicted that Tether could become the world’s most profitable company, potentially overtaking Saudi Aramco.

It’s the world’s third-largest digital asset with a market capitalization of $183.8 billion, up 50% compared to this time last year.

Although Tether maintains strong cash reserves, recent reports suggest that the company may seek $20 billion in new capital for a 3% ownership stake.

Such a transaction would establish a valuation near $500 billion, eclipsing Netflix and Samsung while approaching iconic financial services brands like Mastercard.

The firm has simultaneously expanded its precious metals holdings, with its gold reserves now exceeding $12 billion.

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